Skin care line good for you and the earth

Tata Harper built a successful career in real estate development with her husband in New York and Miami, but when her stepfather was diagnosed with cancer in 2002, it changed her life’s direction.

His doctor at the Mayo Clinic advised him to remove all synthetic products from his daily routines, and as a preventive measure, Harper wanted to do the same. That’s when she discovered how little she knew about the skin care products she used and started research on the cosmetics industry.

"I felt really sad when I realized how toxic everything is. It’s shocking that the things people sell as natural are not really natural, and most women don’t understand what they’re putting on their skin. It’s scary when you consider it’s one of the things you use almost every day of your life," Harper said in an interview at Neiman Marcus, which carries her skin care line.

She found that many cosmetics advertised as natural often contained various forms of petroleum and synthetic ingredients. "The synthetic stuff is cheaper. I think that’s partly why the industry is so profitable."

So, for her own peace of mind, she set out creating Tata Harper Skincare, which she believes is the only 100 percent naturally derived skin care line on the market. Eight of the 26 ingredients in her lotions and serums — including calendula, linden, lavender and meadowsweet — are grown on 10 acres of her Vermont farm.

Her line includes cleansers, hydrating floral essences and rejuvenating serums that range from $65 to $150.

"I spent five years of intense work with skin specialists, eight different chemists, aromatherapists and homeopathic doctors to come up with a green formulation," Harper said.

That includes a natural preservative derived from radish roots.

But all would have been for naught if the products weren’t also effective. Harper said that ultimately, "Women buy skin care because they care about what it does, not to make a political statement."